Tens of thousands of Central American migrants are being kidnapped, abused and extorted by Mexican gangs just yards from the United States in a growing racket that may be worth up to $250 million a year.

Two recent massacres tell the story of human rights failures in Mexico. One massacre was committed by municipal police in Iguala, the second one by Mexican soldiers in Tlatlaya. Both occurred in areas teeming with crime, and activists have linked each one to a government increasingly powerless against drug cartels and violence.

Like this:

“Texas Border Region: The Southern Border Communities Coalition (SBCC) expresses deep concern over recent events involving Border Patrol agent Esteban Manzanares who is reported to have assaulted three Honduran women immigrants, left two for dead, and then killed himself. We urge that the victims be protected, regardless of immigration status and receive fair treatment as survivors.

The following are statements from SBCC members in Texas.

Astrid Dominguez, ACLU of Texas:

This incident is one more in a pattern of CBP abuses in our border communities. Last September, the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report on Border Patrol use of force, which identified key problems with training. This followed revelations by the Government Accountability Office of significant incidence of misconduct within CBP. We demand that DHS conduct a thorough and transparent investigation of this incident, in parallel to independent review by external investigators and determine what policy and training enhancements are necessary.”

“Some Texas-based advocacy groups say the release of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s use-of-force policy for Border Patrol agents is a positive step for transparency. But they add that more could be done.”

“On Friday, U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael J. Fisher instructed field agents to avoid shooting at vehicles that are only fleeing the scene and to consider all available alternatives to firing their weapons when “projectiles” are hurled at agents, including rocks, a common weapon for would-be crossers caught attempting to enter the country illegally.”

“Agents shall not discharge firearms in response to thrown or hurled projectiles unless the agent has a reasonable belief based on the totality of the circumstances to include the size of nature of the projectiles that the subject of such force poses an imminent danger of death or serious injury,” Fisher wrote in his directive, which he said clarified “existing guidelines.”